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Tragic toddler Poppy-Mai Barnard who "married" her hero dad and came second to 'Boaty McBoatface' dies

19:49, 3 May 2016Updated 09:08, 4 May 2016 By Kelly Strange

Poppy-Mai Barnard's father Andy ‘married’ her to fulfil his promise to give her a white wedding when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour

A tragic toddler who grabbed the world's attention when she came second to Boaty McBoatface in contest for the naming of a new polar research vessel has died.

Poppy-Mai Barnard's father ‘married’ her to fulfil his promise to give her a white wedding when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Heartbroken dad Andy announced his "princess" had "grown her angel wings" this afternoon.

The one-year-old died in her father’s arms while her mother stroked her hair at home at 1.16pm today.

Mr Barnard said his family was ‘heartbroken’, but more determined than ever to raise enough to build a retreat in her memory to help other families of sick children

He released a poignant poem he had written about his daughter and pledged to fulfil his promise to her to raise £100,000 to build a centre to help other kids.

He said: ‘We will keep our promise to our princess. Poppy-Mai’s death will not be in vain. We thank everyone who has donated from the bottom of our hearts, focusing on building this has kept us strong and it will be achieving this for her that keeps us going.

She suffered from a rare and fatal brain tumour

‘We could not save Poppy-Mai but we can do this for her and we will. Her legacy will live on. She has touched lives around the world and will never be forgotten.’The little girl gained worldwide fame when her name was narrowly beaten by Boaty McBoatface to win a competition to name a new polar research ship launched by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

photo-features.co.uk Her devoted dad walked her down the aisle

Three days ago Mr Barnard, 31, had told their 30,000 followers that Poppy-Mai had been growing more sleepy. His heart wrenching post told how she was sleeping, but occasionally her eyes would flicker.In a post this afternoon Mr Barnard who serves with the RAF 27 squadron said: "Poppy-Mai Indi Barnard, our beautiful princess, grew her angel wings this afternoon at 13.16.

photo-features.co.uk Poppy-Mai in hospital

"She was in my arms with her mummy stroking her head. I miss her already. Our princess is now at peace I thought it was the right thing to let all of you special people know."His wife Sammi, 29, later added: "Today I watched our beautiful baby grow her angel wings, as much as it hurt me to know I will never watch my baby grow, laugh, smile again, she is at peace now, no more pain and suffering.

"She fought the biggest battle and gave us a lifetime of happy memories in her short life which will stay with me for forever."

photo-features.co.uk Poppy-Mai with mum Sammi

Mr Barnard and his wife Sammi had been told that Poppy-Mai could have just two days to live on March 16 this year.The couple decided against further chemotherapy treatment because it was making her so unwell.They took her home to be with Rylee, six and Jenson-Jay, four, and were astonished when she appeared to briefly regain her strength and sparkle.Her father said the way Poppy-Mai had captured hearts around the globe meant she had already achieved far more in her life than he ever would.

photo-features.co.uk Andy and Sammi on their wedding day

He said: "We have been sharing her story to raise awareness to save other lives and to raise funds to build a permanent centre for other families."It gives us strength and comfort to do that when we can’t do a lot else."He vowed not to rest until the mission was complete.The fundraising currently stands at £29,000, short of its £100,000 target.

photo-features.co.uk She was given just days to live by doctors

Andy had dreamed of walking his princess down the aisle and vowed she would one day have the perfect wedding.Determined to see their dreams come true, Andy’s RAF colleagues hastily arranged a 'wedding day' for Poppy-Mai and the beautiful little bride ‘married’ her hero father.Poppy-Mai was escorted to the aisle by her mother and big brothers.

Andy who serves with the RAF 27 squadron regiment said: "From the moment we found out Poppy-Mai was a girl I’ve said she’d have the wedding of her dreams one day."I never, ever thought it would be like this. Our hearts are broken forever, but I wanted to keep my promise to my princess. It wasn’t how I imagined, but she got her wedding day."

It was just six weeks ago that the Bernard family had the world turned upside down.On February 14 mum Sammi took Poppy-Mai to the doctors. The usually playful toddler had gone off her food and drink and was constipated with a distended tummy.Sammi had also noticed she seemed off balance. Their GP put the little girl’s symptoms down to teething and prescribed a laxative.But Poppy-Mai grew worse and Sammi noticed a lump appear under her rib cage.Now refusing all food and drink and unwilling to walk, Sammi took her back to the GP ten days later.

photo-features.co.uk She was in hospital for four weeks before she was diagnosed

A different doctor prescribed a stronger laxative.But the following afternoon on February 25th Sammi was so concerned she drove her daughter to their local A&E.The toddler, who had now started vomiting, was immediately admitted as doctors battled to stabilise her.

photo-features.co.uk Her dad dreamed she would one day have the perfect wedding

Sammi said: "Her calcium levels were way too high and they had to address that first before they could start to work out what was wrong."At the worst I thought she maybe had a really bad infection."

Only later that day an ultrasound revealed what appeared to be a mass in her stomach.Sammi said: "The consultant sat me down and said: ‘You know this is much worse than constipation now, don’t you?'"I did. But when he said they suspected cancer I was shocked."

Sammi was told that they suspected her daughter had Wilms – a type of kidney cancer in children.The heartbroken mum had to break the news to her husband over the phone and bosses arranged for him to be flown back to the UK to be with his daughter who was being transferred to Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge.

She was thrilled to see her daddy again but there was bad news when a CT scan revealed the mass on her kidney had started to spread and speckles were detected in the Poppy -Mai’s lungs.

photo-features.co.uk Andy, who serves in the RAF, brought forward a make-shift wedding so he could walk her down the aisle

But just one week on the speckles had already grown into masses.Doctors diagnosed a malignant rhabdoid tumour in her kidneys and lungs – a very rare and aggressive type of cancer.Read more:Teen has from organ failure after tampon causes toxic shock syndromeShe started chemotherapy and appeared to respond well. But on March 16 cancer was found in her brain.The size and position of the tumour above her right eye meant it was inoperable and she was given two days to live.More than 30,0000 people followed the family’s journey on their Facebook page and the tot and her brothers received gifts from across the UK every day from well wishers.Mr Barnard said there were so many he had began donating items daily to local charity shops.He said: "People’s kindness has been extraordinary, they took Poppy-Mai to their hearts and to know she was so loved makes us so proud."

The poem Andy Barnard wrote for Poppy-Mai

Poppy-Mai what can I sayI watch you in awe everydayNever before have I felt such loveYou'll soon be an angel up above

I follow your lead everydayI hide my feelings, tuck them away I cry inside but show you a smileYour stronger than me by a mile

Inspirational & Courageous are just two Of the best words to describe you You keep on going, I don't know howFor that Princess I take a bow

Many memories have been made I'd rather that you'd have stayed My One True Love is getting sleepyIt makes me feel rather weepy

This has to be one of the saddest stories and it may me cry my heart out reading it I won't post up the photo of her suffering which her dad shared with the social media but it is truly heartbreaking. Click on the link if you wish to see it. Further down there is also a lovely video of her.

Cancer-stricken Jessica Whelan, 4, shared final cuddle with dad before passing away as he reveals heartbreaking last moments

The shocking picture showed little Jessica Whelan in visible pain as the cancer coursed through her body

Cancer-stricken youngster Jessica Whelan who reduced the world to tears in a heartbreaking picture of her suffering shared a final cuddle with her dad hours before passing away.The youngster "finally found peace" at 7am on Sunday after her fight against the disease was seen by millions around the world.But before passing away she found the strength to embrace her father despite the immense pain caused by her cancer.

Her dad Andy, 30, said; "Every day has been a battle to get her and keep her comfortable using pain relief and sedatives.Through all the pain relief and sedatives she has still not had the comfort to allow me to do anything more than rest my hand upon her, perhaps hold her hand and occasionally kiss her dried pale lips."Last night however we managed to get her body to absorb enough of the medicines that this time when changing her bedding, instead of having to merely move her onto our bed, Jessica actually let me and seemed comforted to have me pick her up and rest her on myself for around twenty minutes or so."I can honestly say it was probably the best and most cherished cuddle we have shared in a long time."

Strangers had raised £76,000 for Jessica, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, so she could enjoy her final weeks after being diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma in September.Pop star Harry Styles got behind the campaign and contacted her family after being moved by the image.But her heartbroken family revealed that she had "grown her angel wings" as she passed away early on Sunday morning.Andy wrote on Facebook: "No longer does she suffer, no longer does she feel the pain of the physical constraints of her body.

"Now my princess has grown her angel wings and has gone up to play with her friends and loved ones. She will now watch down over her little brother and ourselves until one day we are reunited again."Last night she finally allowed me to hold her in my arms and we had a big cuddle as I told her how much I loved her."I told her again that it was okay for her to close her eyes and go to sleep and I kissed her forehead and her lips numerous times."It seems like this is what she needed to finally allow her to find comfort in her passing as within eight hours of this cuddle she finally took her final breath."She was a daddy’s girl from the start and even right up to the end."I feel like a massive part of me has just been torn away but I am so glad that I could give her that comfort in her final hours. She passed peacefully and calmly with not even a murmur."

The couple had earlier decided to stop Jessica's treatment when doctors said they could do nothing more.She was given an X-ray at Blackburn Hospital in July 2015 after injuring her shoulder and that was when Andy and Nicki's horror journey began.The youngster was initially diagnosed with an infection and inflammation of the bone and prescribed antibiotics but after months with no improvement, the couple were given the devastating news.An ultrasound scan found a growth around her liver and kidneys.Andy along with Jessica’s mum Nicki Pendergast, 28, said they wanted people to take a long look at “the true face of cancer” when they released the photo.

The picture was taken at a moment before fast-acting morphine had taken effect and it shows Jessica "pushing" her parents away "as she rode out her searing pain in solitude".But when the 30-year-old shared the shocking image on Facebook he received a mixed reaction after it reached half a million people in just 24 hours.He told the Daily Mail: "We knew the photo would challenge people, that it would evoke strong emotions."And I battled with myself: should we share this? But I knew it needed to be seen."So many photos show smiling bald children in hospital wards surrounded by santas, actors and celebrities, their happy faces full of hope, which is uplifting."But this is not the everyday face of childhood cancer, which is brutal and painful and shocking."

Cancer is a bastard of a disease and there can't be many of us who haven't been affected one way or another. Our oldest and dearest friend was told on Friday that he has 12 months at most. He went straight from the hospital and booked a 5 star break in Madeira. He has opted not to have chemo as, at best, he may get a couple more months. His attitude is that he is going to enjoy the time he has left while he still can. It makes me really angry that the cure is probably out there but it's not good business to "discover" it.I am glad little Jessica is at peace now. Sleep tight angel.

_________________Everything I write is my own opinion. Nothing stated as fact.

Neuroblastoma cancer is I think one of the most common cancers in babies and children under 5 years old. As it affects the nerves (neuro) it must be agonisingly painful.

Poor little girl, and poor children that are diagnosed. At one time childhood luekemia (sp ?) was untreatable but thankfully such advances have been made in that area. Let's hope more treatments for this type are discovered as well..

_________________The pure and simple truth is rarely pure, and never simple. Oscar Wilde

Oh gosh, crying as I type, this is just so terribly sad - both parent dying of terminal cancer, (the father has died).......

Children share heartbreaking photo of terminally ill parents’ touching last moments together holding hands in hospital as they say goodbye

This is the heartbreaking moment two terminally ill parents held hands as they said goodbye to each other for a final time.The pair have bravely faced death together after an unthinkable double terminal cancer diagnosis.

The photo has been shared by the children of Mike, 57, and Julie Bennet - taken just days before the much loved dad-of-three died and published as the children's mother lays dying in a Merseyside hospice herself.

They wanted the world to know how much they loved each other - and were together until the very end.

The brave couple's friends have made a promise to Julie, 50, on her death bed to take care of her children - and are appealing for the public to help them stay in the family home as they face a future without both their parents.

Friend Sue Wright, who visited Julie this week, said: â€œI told her the community would come together to help look after her kids - and she opened her eyes and smiled.

The Bennett family in happier times

Sue has joined others to campaign and raise money for the couple’s three children - Oliver, 13, Hannah, 18, and Luke, 21 - and support them so they can stay in the family home.They have made a heartbreaking plea for help as the siblings face the loss of both parents in the tragedy which saw both cruelly diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Family friend, Heather Heaton Gallagher, a spokesperson for the children, said: “Words cannot express our desperate sadness for such a beautiful family.“The Bennets are known to all for their generosity, their love for life, and their down to earth approach."Julie has kept the children in a normal routine whilst dealing with Mike’s illness over the past few years.“When Julie became ill, she made it her purpose to create as many memories as a family for the children to hold onto.”And she added: “Facing a double terminal cancer diagnosis is beyond belief and, as a community, we are working hard to support the family so that they can stay together and ensure that they can continue their education as planned.”As they cope with the loss of their father and prepare to say goodbye to their mum in St John’s Hospice, Wirral, the young Bennet family from Irby shared a photo of their parents’ touching last moments together and revealed the tragedy which has shattered their family.Dad Mike had been fighting a battle with cancer since 2013 - having been diagnosed with a brain tumour - and had been nursed at home by Julie and the children.The 57-year-old was a self-employed cabinet maker who had served his apprenticeship with Baldock’s Furniture Makers in Liverpool.Mum Julie, 50, a primary school teacher at Somerville School, Wallasey, was diagnosed with cancer in May 2016.She had liver and kidney cancer which spread to other parts of her body.In the heartbreaking image shared by the children, Julie clings to her dying husband Mike’s hand, as she says goodbye to him.Mike died last Monday, February 6, surrounded by Julie and their children.

Now they are continuing to support their mum - and preparing to face the future without them both.As well as emotional heartache and grief, there are practical issues the family has to face.Heather explained: “The biggest challenge is that the family car, a Motability car, has to be returned, meaning that the kids can’t get around to manage practical and personal activities.“Julie and Mike have been the most supportive parents, encouraging their children’s interest in dance and acting from a very early age."All three children thrive on the stage and I know that Julie and Mike would not want this to stop their children from dancing and performing."To help them do this, we need to make them mobile again and help cover the costs that this brings.”And she continued: “We have set up a just giving page and overnight that reached an incredible £15,000, but these three kids need to have a future.“Luke is studying with the Liverpool Theatre School and Hannah is a talented student with Elliot Clarke, Oliver is at high school."They have no nearby family in Wirral. Their home was adapted to make things accessible and easier for the family to nurse Mike at home.“There is a really amazing group of people who have come together to make a real impact on this young family’s life, so that they can have a future together in their family home."We are setting up a trust for them with the support of a local solicitor’s and we have offers of help with the funeral costs from a charity in Manchester. But any help for this wonderful family will make a real difference to their lives.”Eldest son Luke said: “My brother, sister and I are overwhelmed by the enormous support and generosity we have received from so many friends and well-wishers, and it gives my mum a great deal of comfort to hear that we are being so well looked after by the community.“I know it has been her priority since being diagnosed to make sure that the three of us can continue as best we can with our studies and fulfill our ambitions."Mum has appreciated all the help from close friends in supporting the family over the last three years through difficult times and it would be a huge relief to her to know this support will continue when she can’t be with us anymore.”Anyone who wants to support the family with raffle prizes for fundraiser events or to help in the campaign please contact Sue Wright on 07471030500 and go to JustGiving .